Moving walkways are generally known and efficient items of equipment for transporting persons. They are typically used for the transport of persons in horizontal direction, but also in vertical direction with a slight inclination up to 12° if, for example, they are to convey users with shopping trolleys from one floor of a building to another floor. The length and width of the moving walkway are selected in dependence on the anticipated passenger traffic for the respective use.
Plates are conceived as integral or multipart components and the parts thereof are usually produced by casting processes, extrusion processes, forging processes and the like. Several plates are usually connected by way of two traction means to form a plate belt of a moving walkway. These traction means are usually link chains. A moving walkway usually comprises a support structure or framework with two deflecting regions between which the plate belt is guided to circulate.
The connection between the link chain and the plate has to be secure and permanent, since loosening of the connection and thus of the plate of the plate belt during operation of the moving walkway can have catastrophic consequences for users.
Different fastening devices for fastening a plate of a moving walkway to a link chain are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,457 A. All these fastening devices have the disadvantages that they are quite complicated to produce and/or mount and after assembly or during operation of the plate belt it is very difficult to check the fastening device for damage or breakage. In particular, fastening devices arranged between the chain links are difficult to mount and in the installed state can hardly be checked or even cannot be checked.